In History, Today on August 19

In Afghanistan, Vice President Amrullah Saleh declares himself caretaker president following the fall of Kabul to the Taliban. Saleh cites provisions from the Afghan Constitution that insure the powers and responsibilities of the President fall to the Vice President in the absence, escape, resignation, or death of the President. This occurs amidst the rapid collapse of the Afghan government after US troop withdrawals.

Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta resigned after being detained by mutinous soldiers, following months of protests against his government.

The Trump administration announced it would move to end the Flores Settlement Agreement, which set standards for the detention of migrant children, sparking widespread debate and legal challenges.

A train derailment in Muzaffarnagar, India, resulted in the deaths of at least 23 people and injured over 150 others.

A suicide bombing at a wedding in Gaziantep, Turkey, killed at least 54 people, many of whom were children, in an attack attributed to ISIS.

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) released a video showing the beheading of American journalist James Foley, sparking international outrage and condemnation.

The Syrian government was accused of using chemical weapons in an attack on the Ghouta region, leading to international condemnation and a crisis over Syria's chemical weapons stockpile.

Operation Iraqi Freedom officially ended as the last U.S. combat brigade exited Iraq, transitioning to Operation New Dawn, which focused on stability operations.

Afghanistan held its second presidential election since the fall of the Taliban, amid widespread allegations of electoral fraud and violence.

The first-ever joint military exercises between Russia and China, known as Peace Mission 2005, began, marking a significant step in military cooperation between the two nations.

A suicide truck bomb attack on the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, killed 22 people, including the UN's top envoy in Iraq, Sérgio Vieira de Mello.

The August Coup, an attempt by Soviet hardliners to take control of the Soviet government from Mikhail Gorbachev, is initiated. This coup ultimately fails, leading to the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Polish president Wojciech Jaruzelski nominates Solidarity activist Tadeusz Mazowiecki to be the first non-communist prime minister in Eastern Europe in over 40 years.

The Polish government agrees to meet with striking workers at the Gdańsk Shipyard, leading to the formation of the Solidarity movement.

The Soviet Union launches Korabl-Sputnik 2, carrying the dogs Belka and Strelka, which safely return to Earth.

The CIA and British intelligence orchestrate a coup d'état in Iran, overthrowing Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh.

The Dieppe Raid, an Allied attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe, France, during World War II, results in heavy losses.

A plebiscite in Germany gives Adolf Hitler complete power as Führer.

Afghanistan regains full independence from the United Kingdom with the signing of the Treaty of Rawalpindi.

The first automobile race is held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The automobile patented by Amedee Bollee, a French pioneer, marked a significant step forward in automotive technology.

Dmitri Mendeleev made a balloon ascent to an altitude of 11,500 feet (3,500 meters) to observe a solar eclipse.

The First Siemenststadtbahn, an early commuter train in Berlin, Germany, began operations.

The French government announces that Louis Daguerre's photographic process is a gift "free to the world."

The USS Constitution defeats the HMS Guerriere off the coast of Nova Scotia during the War of 1812.

Saint Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg, Russia, was founded on this day.

Prince Charles Edward Stuart, known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, raised the Jacobite standard at Glenfinnan, marking the start of the Jacobite Rising of 1745.

Five people, including a clergyman, are executed for witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts, during the Salem witch trials.

The Second Anglo-Dutch War saw the naval Battle of North Foreland, where the English fleet defeated the Dutch, marking a significant victory for England.

Mary, Queen of Scots, returns to Scotland after spending 13 years in France.

Michelangelo's David is unveiled in Florence. Though initially intended to be displayed atop the Florence Cathedral, it was placed in the Palazzo della Signoria, and quickly became a symbol of the Florentine Republic's strength and independence.

Henry Bolingbroke, who would later become King Henry IV, returned to England, landing at Ravenspur in Yorkshire to reclaim his inheritance after being exiled by King Richard II. This marked the beginning of the events leading to the eventual overthrow of Richard II.

The Battle of Manzikert takes place wherein the Byzantine Empire, led by Emperor Romanos IV Diogenes, suffers a significant defeat at the hands of the Seljuk Turks under Sultan Alp Arslan, marking a turning point that led to the decline in Byzantine authority in Anatolia.

The Liang dynasty in China formally concludes with the abdication of its last emperor, Zhu Youzhen, leading to the consolidation of the Later Zhou dynasty.

The Battle of Yarmouk concludes, marking a decisive victory for the Rashidun Caliphate led by Khalid ibn al-Walid against the Byzantine Empire in what is now Syria.

The Battle of Lingbi took place during the War of the Eight Princes, a series of civil wars among the Jin dynasty princes in China. The battle was part of the larger conflict between the forces of Sima Ying and Sima Yong.

The Roman Emperor Augustus died. His death became widely recognized on September 2, the day when his successor, Tiberius, was publicly declared the Emperor of Rome.